Cartridge magazine



July 24, 1923.

l. N. LEWIS CARTRIDGE MAGAZ I NE Filed Jan. 24. 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 24, 1923.

l. N. LEWIS CARTRIIJGE MAGAZINE Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 24, 1919 Patented July 24, 1923.

TNT

ISAAC N. LEWIS, OF MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY.

CARTRIDGE MAGAZINE.

Application filed January 24, 1919. Serial No. 272,950.

To all whom 2 may concern.

Be it known that I, Isaac NEWTON LEWIS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at 1 Russell Terrace, Montclair, in the county of Essex and State of New J er- 'sey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cartridge Magazines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved cartridge n'iagazine for firearms, and particularly to a cartridge magazine for use with automatic or semi-automatic firearms of the light machine gun type, although it is I not limited in this respect.

Cartridge magazines of the character to which the present invention is related. have been arranged to contain either single row of cartridges or a double row thereof. The single row magazine necessarily provides for a uniform feeding .of the cartridges by the actuating mechanism of the firearm, from the magazine into the gun barrel, as the cartridges are moved upwardly in a single vertical plane and successively occupy the same position at the upper end of the magazine. The double row magazine, while it greatly increases the capacity of the magazine and the number of rounds which may be fired without reloading, does not permit of such uniform and accurate feeding of the cartridges, since the latter have to be fed by the actuating mechanism of the firearm, first from one lateral position or row and then fromthe other, such lateral positions or rows being at opposite sides of the vertical longitudinal median plane of the firearm. While therefore the double. row magazine possesses the advantage of holding a considerably increased number of'cartridges or rounds, the single row magazine possesses the advantage of uniformity of feeding from the magazine to the gun barrel.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved form of magazine of the double row type from which the cartridges may be fed with absolute uniformity and accuracy into the chambered end of the gun barrel. That is to say, the improved magazine will possess the advantages of both the single row and" double row types of magazine. 1 i

The invention consists in a cartridge magazine, which comprises a casing constructed to hold two parallel rows of cartridges in staggered relation with the cartridges of each row in. contact with each other and with the cartridges of the other row and in contact with the adjacent sides of the casing, and rigidly constructedat the upper end thereof to position the uppermost cartridge in the magazine in the central longitudinal plane thereof, and cartridge supporting and elevating means within said casing and in contact with the lowermost cartridge of each row thereof. I

It will thus be seen that as each cartridge is moved upwardly, to take the place of a cartridge removed from the magazine by the actuating mechanism of the firearm, it is positioned in exactly the sameposition as the preceding cartridge occupied, and in exactly the same relation to the actuating mechanism of the firearm and to the chambered end of the gun barrel. The cartridges will thus follow the same path when moved by the actuating mechanism into the end of the gun barrel, thispath lying in the vertical longitudinal plane passing through the axis of the gun barrel. By. the use of, this magazine therefore complete uniformity and accuracy in the feeding of the cartridges from a double row thereof is obtained, with consequent increase in the efiiciency of operation of the firearm.

Preferably, the side walls of the magazine at their uppermost extremities are shaped to receive and hold. between them a single cartridge and to position said cartridge cen-. trally of the magazine, and furthermore, the said side walls may have the upper port-ions thereof formed so that they positively guide the cartridges alternately from the two rows thereof into the central longitudinal plane of the magazine.

Various other distinctive features of the improved magazine will be more fully described hereinafter, and clearly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, one form of magazine constructed in accordance with the present invention is illustrated, and is shown applied to an automatic firearm of the light machine gun. type.

In these drawings Figure lis a longitudinal sectional View of the body or receiver of the gun, within which body the actuating mechanism is located, the magazine applied to this body being also shown in longitudinal section;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking toward the muzzle of the gun and showing the arrangement of the cartridges in the magazine;

Figure 3 is an outside elevational view of the cartridge magazine,

Figure 4 is a plan view of said magazine;

Figure 5 is a sectional plan view of the magazine showing the arrangement of the cartridges therein, and

Figure 6 is a detailed perspective view of the spring actuated follower of the magazine.

Figure 7 is an outside view on an enlarged scale of a magazine substantially similar to that illustrated in Figure 3, but differing therefrom in capacity and in constructional details; v

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the magazine shown in Figure 7, taken ap proximately on the line 88 of said figure;

Figure 9 is an elevation of the rear end of the magazine;

Figure 10' is a view of the magazine taken from below;

Figure 11 is a partial side sectional elevation' of the magazine, showing a smaller number of cartridges than in Figure 8;

Figure 12 is a sectional plan view of the magazine, and

Figure 13 is a detail view of the follower.

For the purposeof illustration only and without any intention of limiting the application of the improved magazine thereto,

said magazine is illustrated in Figure 1 as applied to a shock-operated automatic firearmof the character described in Patent 1,430,661, Oct. 3, 1922. This firearm, of course, forms no part of the present invention but its arrangement and operation will be briefly mentioned in order to clearly show the manner of application of the mag azine thereto, and the manner in which the cartridges are successively removed from said magazine into the chambered end of the gun barrel.

When the breech block or bolt 1 is in the rearward position indicated, and pressure is applied to the trigger 2, a shoulder 3 on the latter engages and raises the forward end of the sear 1, depressing the rear end of the scar and releasing the same from a notch in the bolt. \Vhen the bolt is thus released the return spring 5 moves the operating member 6 forwardly, and the post 7 of said member being in engagement with an inclined surface of a cam slot 8 in the bolt, the latter moves forwardly with the post and operating member, being prevented from rotating by a projection 9 engaging a slot 10' in the body 11 of the gun. As the parts advance in this relationship the lower front edge of the bolt engages the head of apositioned cartridge 12 and forces the same in advance of'the bolt into the chambered end of the gun barrel 13. Vhen the bolt engages the forward end of the barrel the projection 9 engages a circumferential slot in the body and permits the bolt to be rotated by the post 7 co-actmg with the slot 8 to bring lugs on the bolt in front of lugs 1 1 on the body so as to prevent rearward movement of the bolt when the cartridge is fired. The operating member 6 and post 7 then advance still further to carry the firing pin 15 forwardly to strike the head of the cartridge and fire the same. The gases of discharge resulting from the firing of the cartridge are utilized in the manner described in application No. 263,82 filed November 23rd, 1918, to produce a shock or pressure impulse which is imparted to the forward end of a piston 16, the rear end of which is indicated in Figure 1, this piston being connected by a rod 17 to the operating member 6. This member is thus moved rearwardly by the shock or pressure impulse produced, and during such movement first retracts the firing pin 15, then co-acts with the cam slot 8 to rotate the bolt to release the lugs thereon from the lugs 14%, and then engages the rear end of this slot to return the bolt to its rearmost position as indicated in Figure 1, in which position it is again held by the sear, which has in'the meantime been returned to its init al position.

With the trigger and sear having the relatire positions indicated in Figure 1, pres sure of the trigger as already described, permits the firing of an individual round, but as clearly described in the companion application above mentioned, the trigger pin 18 has an eccentric portion whereby on rotation of this pin the trigger may be moved slightly rearwardly to bring the shoulder 3 farther beneath the forward end of the sear so that on applying pressure to the trigger and maintaining such pressure, the sear may be held in inoperative position so that the bolt on its return movement is not held thereby but is again advanced by the return spring to fire the successively positioned cartridge in the manner described, the operation being repeated until any desired number of cartridges within the capacity of the magazine has been fired.

On each return movement of the bolt the empty shell is extracted by extractors on the forward end of the bolt and is ejected by suitable ejecting mechanism through an aperture 19 in the body. i

Referring now to the particular form of agazine illustrated in the drawings, it will. be seen that this magazine consists of a casing 20 the side walls of which are substantially parallel and arranged at such a distance apart that the'cartridges' 1.2 placed therein form a double row with the cartridges in staggered contacting relationas indicated in Figures 2, 4 and 5. The lowermost cartridges rest upon a platform or follower 21 which is pressed upwardly by means of the spring 22 of usual form. The platform 21 (see Figures 2 and 6) has a portion thereof pressed upwardly at 23 to support one of the lowermost cartridges in its staggered relation to the other thereof, and to enable the-upward pressure of the spring to be positively and directly imparted to both rowsof cartridges, so that the group of cartridges is moved upwardly as a unit, and jamming of said cartridges in the magazine'is prevented. The side walls of the magazine are preferably formed with inwardly projecting ribs 24. with which the cartridges engage, as shown in Figure 5, these ribs reducing the extent of contact of the cartridges with the magazine walls and facilitating the upward movement of the cartridges under the action of the spring. The side edges of the platform or follower 21 may engage these ribs, or they may be notched to receive the ribs which then serve to guide the follower in its upward and downward movements.

The side walls of the magazine at the upper endsthereof are inclined or converge toward each other as indicated at 25, and the extremities of these walls are curved as indicated at 26, to enable them to contact with and fit partially around. the surface of a single cartridge 12. The centre of curva ture of the extremities 26lies in the longitudinal median plane of the magazine. Thus when the uppermost cartridge 12, Figure 2, is removed from the magazine by the bolt 1, the next lower cartridge 12' is pressed upwardly into contact with the inclined or converging end 25 of the side wall of the magazine and is guided by said incl ned end toward the longitudinal median plane of the magazine, and is finally pressed by the cartridge 12 beneath it into contact withthe curved extremities 26 of the side walls, being positioned by said walls for engagement and removal by the bolt. When the cartridge 12' so positioned is removed by the bolt, the cartridge 12 is similarly pressed upwardly and guided by the inclined or converging end of the opposite side wall of the magazine into position between the extremities 26. the operation being repeated at each removal of a cartridge. Thus cartridges are positioned for engagement by the bolt, alternately from thetwo rows of cartridges in the magazine, and it will he noticed that each cartridge engaged by the bolt occupies identically the same position as its predecessor occupied, and follows the same path as its predecessor when forced by the bolt into the chambered end of the barrel, this path lying at all times in the vertical longitudinal median plane of the-gun. Thus absolute uniformity in the feeding. of the cartridges to the gun barrel is obtained with a double row magazinaor in other words, the advantageous uniform feeding action obtained with a singlerow magazine 1S obtained with the use of a double row magazine, instead of the alternate feeding first from one side and then point below the inclined ends 25 to said extremities 26, these converging ribs then guid ing the cartridges into place. These inclined or converging ribs might be used with a magazine having plain side walls, or the upper end of the magazine might be otherwise formed to ensure the cartridges being guided alternately from the two rows thereof into the longitudinal median plane of the magazine.

The forward portions of the side walls of the n'iagazine converge toward each other, as indicated in Figure 5, following substantiaily the curvature of the bullets 27, the platform or follower 21 being correspondingly shaped at its forward end.

It will be noted from Figures 1, 3 and 4, that the curved extremities 26 of the side walls of the magazine extend substantially half way from rear to front of the magazine and their extreme forward edges coact with each cartridge during its move ment by the bolt, to hold its rear end or head in the magazine until the bullet 27 is guided bythe inclined surface 28 on the body, into the chambered end of the barreL- The can tridge is then released from said extremities. and by the movement of the succeeding cartridge into place, is thrown upwardly slightly to bring it into substantial alig1iment with the axis of the barrel. i

The spring 22 is preferably secured to the follower 21 by means of lugs or cars 29 bent over at the side edges of the follower, and between which lugs and the follower the upper leaf of the spring is inserted. These lugs may be formed on the follower by rollmg or pressing down the forward side edges thereof so as to shape the forward end of the follower and at the same time form the lugs, between which and the follower the forward end of the upper leaf of the spring is inserted. The spring may be similarly so cured to the bottom plate 30 although it may of course be secured to the follower, or to the bottom plate, in any other convenient Way.

The bottom plate 30 may be soldered or otherwise permanently secured to the walls of the magazine, or said plate may be re movably secured thereto by suitable catches on said plate or said walls, which are releas- 26 hold the cartridges so that the heads thereof i roject just sufhciently above said curved ed e to enable them to be engaged by the bolt. 'ihe cartridges are inserted'in the magazine through the opening. in the top thereof in the usual. manner, and the I zine may be constructed to hold live, ten,

.cation with the lower hero iii therei.

. extends through an aperture in into a notch or'aperture 35 3D, in:

fifteen, twenty or any other suitable nuniher as may be desired.

The magazine is inserted in a recess formed in the lower part of the body, in communii the forward wall of the magazine having an aperture adapted to engage over a pin 32 in the forward wall of the recess, and the rear wall co-acting with oh 3.3 which wall, which wall may be s out above the notch, as indicated to more re curely co-act with the latch.

The latch 33, as shown in Figure l mounted in a recess in the forward end of the guard 35 of the trigger mecha. latch having tongues on its races c1;- acting with corresponding grooves in tie walls of said recess, and being pressed forwardly by a spring 37. The forward and rearward movements of the latch are limited by a pin 38 oo-acting with a groove or recess 89 in theupper face of the latch. By rearward pressure against the rear curved end 40 of the latch, which is located in close proximity to the trigger 2, the forward end of the latch may be released from the notch 35, thus permitting the magazine to fall or be removed from the recess in the body. Thus without substantially changing; the position of the hand in firing, an empty cartridge magazine may be released from the firearm and a loaded magazine substituted in place thereof by means of the other hand. enabling the reloading: of the firearm to be effected with extreme rapidity and ease.

In Figures 7 to 13, illustrated another form of magazine which whil operating to position cartridges alternately from a double row in the median plane of the magazine as in the form already described is constructed and arranged so that it in be readily and economically manufactured in large quantities.

The magazine in this form comprises two similar casing portions 41 and 42, each consisting of a side wall and front and rear end wall portions l which are curved as in dicated in Figures 7 and 11 to allow for the curvature or inclination of the front and rear ends of the group of cartridges. The side wall of each casing portion ll, 42, is formed at the upper end thereof with an inclined surface A terminating}; in a curved extremity l5, and is also provided with inwardly projectir ribs l6, and is pressed inwardly at all" vidc lhe reduced. forward portion of the magazii The ribs it? are of substantially semi-circular cross section, and it will be noted from Figure that they are pressed inwardly to a router extent at their upper ends to provide curved gaidinp; surfaces terminating at the extremities d5. i

The distance between the end wall portions d3 of the cas' 'z portion 41 is less than tl'ie distance lNcbW'u the end wall portions of the casing; portion so that the first mentioned portions e3 "1 within the portions 18 of easing portion 42, as will be clear from Figure 12a and the respective end wall portions secured together in this overlapping; rela onship, by any suitable securing means. is illustrated, these portions are secured together by aperturing the same at as shown '1 e 9, and turning the metal it the edges or the apertures of one end )OllLlOll outwardly around the edges of the apertures of the other end portion as clearly I iowu at 4:19 in Figure 12, this method ecuringthe parts being quick and effective l avoiding the necessity for the use of form guides to permit the bottom plate 51 to be slid into place. This plate 51 is provided with lugs52 at its front and rear ends adapted to be bent up into correspondingly shaped recesses in the lower ends of the end walls 43 of easing portion 42, see Figure 9. The bottom plate is thus easily placed in position and is firmly held in place by the lugs 50 and 52. By bending down the front lug 52, the bottom plate may be readily removed. 2

The follower 54 is of similar construction to the follower of the magazine previously cescribed, being provided with an up wardly pressed portion 55, Figures 8 and 13, and with downwardly bent side lugs 56, whereby the spring 57 may be connected to the follower. The spring 57 is formed from resilient wire and its upper end is adapted to he slid between the lugs 56 of the follower, one of the latter being recessed at 58 to receive a bend 59 in the "oer of spaced points l8, four.

side walls of the casing, portions at spring to properly locate'the latter relatively to the follower. The follower may be provided with notches 60, to receive the ribs 46 of the casing portions.

It will be seen from Figure 8, that when the casing portions 41 and 42 are secured together the distance between the ribs 46 is such that two rows of cartridges may be arranged within the magazine, with the cartridges of each row in contact with each other, in contact with the cartridges ot the other row, and in contact with the ribs 6., and that these cartridges will be smoothly and easily elevated to the upper end of the magazine by the follower 54 and spring The cartridges will be guided in succession,

alternately from the two rows, the curved upper ends of ribs 46, into place between the curved extremities 45 of the s de walls, the cartridges being thus positioned in succession in the median vertical plane of the magazine.

lVhile particular forms of magazine have been described above in detail it to be understood that the invention is not restricted to these particular forms ot' magazine, but that the form and construction may be varied as may be desirable or necessary to suit the particula form of firearm to which the magazine is to heapplied, or

for other reasons. The essential feature ct the invention is that the magazine is so con structed that the cartridges rom a double row thereof may be successively positioned in the central longitudinal plane of the magazine so that these cartrid es may be uniformly fed from the 4* into. the chambered end of the gun barrel by the actuating mechanism of the firearm.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what'manner the same is to be performed',-I declare that what I claim is 1. A cartridge magazine, comprising a casing having a width sufficient to hold two parallel rows oi' cartridges in staggered relation with the cartridges of each row in contact with each other and with the cartridges of the other row, and at its upper end symmetrically decreased in width to form oppo site guiding surfaces terminating in extremities shaped to partially surround and contact with opposite side portions of a cartridge to exactly position and rigidly hold said cartridge centrally of the casing, and cartridge elevating and supporting means within said casing, the guiding surfaces alternately acting, at successive elevations of said cartridges. to move the upper most cartridge inwardly upon the uppermost cartridge of the other row, and the latter under the action of said elevating means directly pressing said uppermost cartridge into place between the extremities of the casing.

2. A cartridge magazine, comprising a casing having side walls spaced apart a dis tance to hold between them two parallel rows of cartridges in staggered relation with the cartridges of each row in contact with each other and with the cartridges of the other row said side walls being provided with upper extremities curved to con form to the exterior curvature of a cartridge to position said cartridge in the central longitudinal plane of the casing, and being provided below said extremities with inwardly and upwardly converging surfaces alternately engaging the uppermost cartridge of the adjacent row to guide said cartridge into position between sa d ere tremities, and cartridge supporting and elevating means within said casing operating at each elevating movement thereof to press the uppermost cartridge, guided by the adacent converging surface. directly from the corresponding row thereof into position between the upper curved extremities of the side walls.

3. A cartridge magazine, comprising a casing having a width sufficient to hold two parallel rows of cartridges in staggered rela lion with the cartridges of each row in con tact with each other and with the cartridges of the other row, and l'iaving its upper end symmetrically decreasing in'width to receive and centrally position a single cartridge, the side walls of said casing adjacent the upper ends thereof being provided with inwardly projecting guiding ribs inwardly and upwardly converging from the wider to the narrower portion of the casing to alternately guide the uppermost cartridges of said rows into central position in the narrower portion of the casing, and'cartridge supporting and elevating means'within said casing.

cartridge magazine, comprising two side walls spaced apart a distance to hold between them two. parallel. rows of cartridges in staggered relation, with the cartridges of each row in contact with each other and with the cartridges of the other row, said side walls being parallel excepting at the upper ends thereof which converge sym metrically toward each other and are provided at the rear portions thereof above said converging portions with extremities curved to conform to the exterior curvature of a cartridge to firmly hold between them a single cartridge in the central longitudinal plane of the magazine. a 'tront wall permitting forward movement of the uppermost cartridge, and a rear wall engaging said cartridge to prevent rearward movement thereof.

5. A cartridge magazine, comprising two side walls spaced apart a distance to hold between them two parallel rows of cartridges in staggered relation, with the cartridges of each row in contact with each other and with the cartridges oi the other row, said side walls being parallel excepting at the upper ends thereof which converge symmetrically toward. each other and are provided at the rear portions thereof with extremities shaped and spaced apart distance to firmly hold between them a single cartridge in the central longitudinal p ane of the n agaaine, inwardly projecting guiding ribs on said side walls at their upper ends, said ribs converging to guide the cartridges into position between said extremit es, a front wall permitting forward movement of the uppermost cartridge, and rear wall engaging said cartridge to prevent rearward movement thereof.

6. A cartridge magazine, comprising a casing having side walls provided with upwardly extending substantially parallel ribs, the inner surfaces of the o ipos ng ribs being spaced apart a distance to hold between them two parallel rows of c ridges in staggered relation with the cartridges 0*": each row in contact with each other and. with the cartridges of the other-row. 'l side walls at their upper ends converging inwardly and upwardly and terminating irved extremities adapted to receive and centrally position a single cartridge, and said ribs at their upper ends being curved inwardly and upwardly to guide the cartridgps alternately from said rows into position between said extremities, and cartridge supporting and elevating means within said casing.

7. A cartridge magazine, comprising two similar but reversed casing portions each having a side wall and front and rear end. walls, with the front end walls and the rear end walls of the two portions respectively overlapping and secured together to space. said side walls a distance to hold between them two parallel rows of cartridges in staggered relation with the cartridges of each row in contact with each other and with the cartridges oi the other row, said. side walls at the upper ends thereof converging inwardly and upwardly to hold and centrally position. a single cartridge between their ex staggered s.

tremities, and cartridge supporting and elevating means within said caslng.

8. A cartridge magazine, comprising two similar but reversed casin ortions each having a side wall and front and rear end walls. with the front end walls and the rear end walls of the two portions respectively overlapping and apertured and secured together by bending outwardly the edges of the apertures of one wall around the edges of the apertures in the overlapping wall to space said side walls a distance to hold between them two parallel rows of cartridges in staggered relation with the cartridges of each row in contact with each other and with the cartridges of the other row, said side walls the upper ends thereof converging inwardly and upwardly to hold and centrally position a single cartridge between their extremities. and c. fridge supporting and elevating means within said casing.

A cartridge magazine, comprising two similar but reversed casing portions each having a side wall and front and rear end walls. w th t 1e "front end walls and the rear end wal" "t the two portions respectively overlappnig and secured together to space said side walls a distance to hold between them two rallel rows of cartridges in tion with the cartridges of each row in contact with each other and with the cartridges of the other row, said side walls at the upper ends thereof converging inwardly and upwardly to hold and centrally position a single cartridge between their extremities, and at their lower ends being pro *ided with inwardly extending lugs, a bottom plate supported by said lugs and itself provided with lugs bent up to engage the front and rear end walls of the casing portions, and cartridge supporting and elevating means within said casing.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. 

